


things you said after it was over

by harrytomlinsonwhoops



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Battle of Hogwarts, F/F, Femslash, Fluff, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Post-War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-07-13 02:49:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7135460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/harrytomlinsonwhoops/pseuds/harrytomlinsonwhoops
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Sorry, it’s just- it’s been a long night. A long year, even,” Hermione explains, running a hand through her tangled hair. </p><p>“For you and me both, I would say,” Pansy says, and it’s been years, it’s been <i>centuries</i> since Hermione has even thought about Pansy making fun of her appearance, but suddenly she’s fourteen again, and caring way too much about what Pansy Parkinson thinks about her hair. It’s only now dawning on her the reason that she cared so much, and she’s surprised to find that she’s not really that surprised at all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	things you said after it was over

She's administering Muggle first aid to a third year Hufflepuff student, the first time Hermione sees her after all is said and done. 

"Why don't we just heal it with magic?" The student asks, as Hermione hovers a few feet away, half-hidden behind the broken pieces of a fallen wall. Pansy's lips press together.  
  
"You can't fix everything with magic," she replies, so quietly that Hermione has to strain to hear her. "Plus, I was never the best at healing spells."  
  
The Hufflepuff boy is quiet for a moment, as Pansy bandages up his arm. "Is it true you tried to turn Harry Potter over to You-Know-Who?" He asks, softly. The look in his eyes reminds Hermione of Luna’s, somehow, though his eyes are a dark brown, and Luna’s are as pale as a summer sky. Pansy nods once, briskly, and the boy frowns at her.  
  
"One life traded for hundreds of others?" Pansy says, and the boy bites his lip. "I wasn't thinking of hurting Potter, I was just trying to save myself, save my friends."  
  
"I guess war isn't always black and white, is it?" he asks, and Pansy nods her head again. Hermione realises that he’s similar to Luna because there’s no judgment in his eyes. He’s like Luna in the way that to them, things just _are_ , and they have to figure out a way to be okay with that.   
  
"I don't think anything ever is," she answers, taping up the bandage, and patting his arm softly. "Why don't you go see if you can find something to eat, okay? It’s probably been hours since you last ate, and a war really makes a kid hungry, right?"  
  
The boy laughs as he stands on wobbling legs, and offers a hand to Pansy, who shakes it, looking very confused as she does. "Thank you, for helping me," he tells her, before he hobbles off towards the Great Hall.  
  
"You can come out now, Granger," Pansy says, brushing dust off her skirt as she turns to face Hermione, who reddens instantly at being caught out. She steps out from the broken wall, and tilts her head as she stares at Pansy.

“I guess people aren’t very black and white either, are they?” Hermione eventually says, after the silence has dragged out long enough that Pansy has begun to tap her foot in impatience. 

Pansy’s eyes soften, and she bites her lip as she stares at Hermione. “That’s very Ravenclaw of you,” she says, and Hermione snorts.

“The Hat did consider putting me there,” Hermione tells her, though she’s not quite sure why. Pansy smirks.

“Me as well,” she replies, and Hermione smiles back at her. “Hey- I’m sorry for trying to send your friend to his doom, and all.”

Hermione doesn’t even try to stop the surprised laugh that bubbles up in her throat. “He ending up sending himself there, so I think it’s okay,” she says, and Pansy bites her lip again. Hermione stares at her mouth for so long that she’s surprised when her lips move again.

“Granger? You in there?” Pansy says, lips spreading across her face in a grin when Hermione blushes a deep red again. 

“Sorry, it’s just- it’s been a long night. A long year, even,” Hermione explains, running a hand through her tangled hair. 

“For you and me both, I would say,” Pansy says, and it’s been years, it’s been _centuries_ since Hermione has even thought about Pansy making fun of her appearance, but suddenly she’s fourteen again, and caring way too much about what Pansy Parkinson thinks about her hair. It’s only now dawning on her the _reason_ that she cared so much, and she’s surprised to find that she’s not really that surprised at all.

“I’m sorry, too,” Hermione tells her, quietly, and Pansy steps back, her mouth falling open in shock.

“What on _earth_ for?” she replies, looking genuinely confused. Hermione laughs again. It feels like it’s been years since she’s laughed like this, carefree and _happy_.

“For all the awful things I’ve thought about you and others in your House over the years,” Hermione clarifies. Pansy eyes her suspiciously for a second before she lets out a loud peal of laughter. 

“You know, Granger, you’re not all that bad,” she eventually decides. Hermione rolls her eyes in response.

“Thank you ever so much,” she says dryly, and Pansy laughs again.

“We should have a drink together, now that we don’t have to be mortal enemies and all,” Pansy suggests, and Hermione’s surprised to find that she doesn’t actually mind the idea. 

“That sounds lovely,” she admits, and Pansy’s smirk softens. “Though I’m not sure how I’ll break it to Harry and Ron.”

Pansy’s responding grin is absolutely vulgar. “I’m not sure about Weasley, but I think if we sort of just throw Draco in Potter’s direction, they’ll quickly find that they wont have time to care about us.”

Hermione laughs loudly, startling a few people cleaning up around them; she knows that there’s been many lives lost in the past few hours, and many others destroyed, but here, and now, it feels like the beginning of something more than just peace. “You noticed that too, huh?”

“Granger, I think everyone and their _mother_ noticed that,” Pansy replies, with a roll of her eyes.

“Hermione,” she corrects, quietly, and Pansy’s silent for a moment, before she nods in agreement.

“Pansy,” she returns, holding out a hand for Hermione, who takes it, her teeth catching on her lip as a smile spreads across her face. 

Hermione remembers the first time she ever held a wand, back in Olivanders with her parents hovering behind her, remembers vividly the feeling of magic flowing through her fingertips, flowing through her _veins_. Here, with Pansy’s fingers intertwined with hers, she realises she’s never quite known what magic meant before.

Pansy smiles at Hermione, her eyes soft, and gentle. There’s a hardness there still, hovering just behind the surface; Hermione suspects that if she were to look in a mirror after the past nine months spent running and hiding, that she’d see much of the same in her own eyes. 

Here, and now, with Pansy smiling at her as they walk hand in hand towards the Great Hall, Hermione feels as though she’s finally understood what magic really means.

**Author's Note:**

> i would truly love it if any of you could spare the time to watch this [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEUumIaxM9M&app=desktop), and then consider sharing it or donating to [this cause](http://prf.donorpages.com/TeamEnzoFundraising/CatherinaLlontop/). a little boy that i know was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease called progeria. this disease causes him to age at rapid rates, and children who suffer from this have a life expectancy of only 15 years. enzo is currently the only child with this disease in the entirety of australia, and he and his family would appreciate any awareness you could raise or any funds you can spare. if you're unable to financially help, please consider even sharing the video so maybe it will reach someone who is able to. again, thank you for reading.
> 
> as usual, find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/slytherinlarry_) and [tumblr](http://slytherin-larrie.tumblr.com).


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